COURSES

Topics in Taiwan Literature (China 455)

Instructor: Dr. Danqing Wang

Course Description: This course is designed to focus on major issues of Taiwan Literature from Japanese occupation (1895-1945) to the present with special reference to tradition, theme, and technique. In this Term, however, we will place our emphasis more on Taiwan fiction written after 1949 and critically analyze major themes and forms developed in this period. The short stories we will discuss include canonized works by Ch’en Ying-chen, Tzeng Ch’ing-wen, P’ing Lu, Pai Hsien-yung, Bao Chen, Ch’i-teng Sheng, Yeh Shih-t’ao, and Huang Ch’un-ming, with a special focus on themes related to significant social, cultural, and gendering issues while also paying close attention to key narratological concepts such as: narrator, narratee, embedded narrative structure, focalization, characterization, setting, and discourse-time. The course will be offered in winter term 2016. Inquiries? Please write Dr. Wang at danqing1@ualberta.ca.

Culture and Identity in Taiwan (China 351)

Instructor: Associate Professor, Daniel Fried

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the problems and questions surrounding the cultural identity of Taiwan. Is Taiwan “Chinese”? Is it “Taiwanese”? What would such labels mean, anyway, given the complex ethnic makeup and history of Taiwan? Who, either on the island or off of it, has the right to decide such questions? Given the ongoing political disputes between the island and mainland China, these can be highly contentious questions. This class will take no stand on what the identity of Taiwan is, was, or should be in the future: instead, students will be presented with historical and literary texts relevant to the question of Taiwanese identity, and encouraged to debate respectfully the meanings and implications of these texts. The course will be offered in winter term 2016. Inquiries? Click here for more information or write Professor Fried at dfried@ualberta.ca